THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
BY A TURN OF THIS TWO-STORIED PRAYER WHEEL ONE SAYS
317 VOLUMES OF PRAYERS
Within this octagonal structure are complete sets of the Kandjur
and Tandjur, the principal Tibetan classics (see pages 602 and 604). The
whole wheel can be rotated by means of carved bars. In the fore
ground are brass images before which are placed butter lamps, water
bowls, and ornaments of yak butter. The prayer wheel is of wood
beautifully carved and gilded (see text, page 577).
pleasantly with the song of birds on the
roof of the Prison of the Earth God in
my garden (see text, page 577).
During prayers the platform in front of
the chanting hall was strewn with boots,
for the monks go to their devotions bare
foot. Most of the boots were of cheap
woolen cloth, with felt or yak hide soles.
Trousers and socks are unknown among
the lamas. Even Living Buddhas thrust
their bare feet into knee-length boots,
which they tie with string below the knee
to keep them from slipping.
After the prayers in
the chanting hall had
continued for hours,
the worshipers were
fed with butter, tea,
and tsamba (barley
flour). Each monk
carried in his volumi
nous garment his own
wooden tea bowl, his
only utensil. Fingers
served as forks.
At Io o'clock the
priests and monks filed
out of the cold, dark
chanting hall, slipped
on their boots, ar
ranged their red
woolen garments, cov
ered their shaven
heads with peculiar
helmet - shaped ha t s
decorated with yellow
ruffles on the crest,
and marched outside
the monastery and
down to a small ter
race of loess, where
over a steep bluff was
suspended a work of
art representing Tiinba
Sha Chia To Pu, the
Chinese Shi Chia Fu
(called Djaka in In
dia). This tapestry is
more than 50 feet long
and is at least 200
years old. The work
is of heavy silk appli
que ; the colors are
soft and exquisite (see
illustration, page 583).
Before the tapestry
was arranged a table with offerings. Ex
tremely youthful monks sat cross-legged
on strips of carpet spread at the sides. A
group of lamas surrounded a sort of
throne, on which, beneath a large yellow
umbrella, sat a dignified high lama dressed
in yellow (see illustration, page 6Io). All
chanted in unison with six lamas clad in
yellow silks, who stood around the table
that held the offerings. Two others ac
companied the chanting with cymbals.
In the afternoon the ceremony shifted
to the lamasery compound. An idol was
582